I saw the second episode of the second season of HBO's new drama "The Wire" last night and I'm blown away. This is the best show on television.
The show is set in and around the City of Baltimore. Last season the center of attention was a courtyard in the projects that was the center of a drug trade that the police were staking out to unravel. But it's not yet another cop show, or another drug trafficking show. It's a show about flawed individuals who have jobs they may or may not like, make choices and suffer the consequences.
Each season (13 episodes) follows a single case as the various investigating units (Baltimore City Police, Baltimore County Police, Maryland State Police) build their case, interact with the prosecuting units (federal and state lawyers/judges) and even have internal battles. You're not only taken along on the investigation, but you get to watch the meetings where the different units interact (which is the most fascinating point, since you realize that it's no different than any other workplace : there's a certain amount of bullshit inherent in every job).
The second season is about the decline of the American blue-collar worker. Ever since the 1970's the American dream of "If you're not so smart, but you have a strong back and are willing you bust your ass, you will never go hungry" has been fading away as labor intensive jobs have moved overseas. Baltimore used to be an east coast manufacturing hub with the Lehigh Cement factory, a Bethlehem Steel plant and a Domino Sugar processing facility. Head writer and long time Baltimore resident David Simon saw this and wanted to make it a focal point according to his interview in the Baltimore City Paper. This season centers around crooked longshoremen working at the Port of Baltimore. They take care of "cans" (slang for large steel containers the size of a tracor trailer) that have special cargo and broken US Customs seals. They make sure that they get out of the yard without anyone noticing, for a small fee.
A great ensamble cast (Wendell Pierce, Dominic West, John Doman)and great writing make for the best hour of television each week. New episode 10p Sundays HBO, replays Tuesday & Friday night 10p.
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